But Democrats say that’s not enough on its own.
“The heartbreaking acceleration of the coronavirus crisis demands bold, urgent and ongoing action from Congress to protect Americans’ lives and livelihoods,” Pelosi and Schumer said in the statement.
Pelosi and Schumer said Wednesday they would agree to the GOP request if certain conditions are met, such as ensuring half of the small business funding flows through “community-based” banks that serve women and minority-owned businesses. The two top Democrats want an additional $100 billion for hospitals and health centers as medical providers across the country are still struggling to secure enough personal protective equipment to safely treat the influx of coronavirus patients.
Pelosi and Schumer also want $150 billion in additional funding for state and local governments to fight the pandemic and an increase in the amount of federal food aid families can claim during this emergency.
“As Democrats have said since day one, Congress must provide additional relief for small businesses and families, building on the strong down-payment made in the bipartisan CARES Act,” they said, referring to the previously approved $2 trillion emergency relief measure.
The stance sets up a confrontation at a critical moment: Coronavirus cases are beginning to peak in some parts of the United States and the markets have been recovering due to signals of another quick congressional response. But Republicans are scoffing at the Democratic demands with both House and Senate Republicans signaling there is only support for the slimmed down package this week.
„Is the need for small businesses urgent or not? Pretty simple. If no, any member has the ability to go to the floor and object, during market hours,“ said a Republican aide in response to the Pelosi and Schumer request.
However, a prolonged standoff may be untenable after the two parties’ brutal conflict preceding the $2 trillion relief bill Congress passed late last month.
The Senate has a pro forma session on Thursday, where GOP leaders were expected to try to pass the small business relief bill via unanimous consent, hoping the House would follow during its pro forma session on Friday. But a single senator or House member could object to the fast-track method, potentially derailing the bill’s passage this week.
If Schumer wants to play hardball, he or another Democrat could derail the effort by McConnell (R-Ky.) to pass aid without a roll-call vote. And conservative Republicans may object to Democrats’ attempts to expand the package, making it more unlikely the Senate can pass the bill via unanimous consent this week.
Source: politico.com
See more here: news365.stream
